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Northern Michigan timber harvester charged with eight counts of embezzlement

ESSM Extension Unit

A northern Michigan timber harvester has been charged with eight counts of embezzlement… for allegedly lying to property owners

Norman Kasubowski of Petoskey was arrested by state police this week for embezzling over $20,000, according to an official with the Michigan Attorney General’s Office.

Kasubowski owns both Great Lakes Forest Products and Northern Timber Producers Inc.

Ryan Jarvi is a spokesperson for the Attorney General.

“He had a contract with these landowners and wasn’t fully upfront with the amount of timber or the type of wood that he was taking,” Jarvi said. “He concealed the information from the property owners so he didn’t have to pay full value.”

Each charge of embezzlement is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a fine of ten thousand dollars or three times the amount embezzled, whichever is higher.

Kasubowski is expected to appear in court for a pretrial conference next week.